Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-05-21
SCENE. IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
Along Proesssloh Of Mounted snvsges.
I IA Most Impressive speetacAss be-

Along ProesssIoh Of Mounted savsges.
I IA Most Impressive speetaclss be-
Some years age, in late August, was
travelling from the land OF the Blackfeet
10 Waila walla, in Washington territory.
Saskatchewan plains to the Cadotte pass.
In the pass unsaddled my horse for his
noon feed and sat down to. smoke. I had
Just left a noisy, buffalo hunting Indian
camp, and presently conjured an Indian
scene. Columns Of Indians, painted and
stripped to their breech clouts. fled past
me and disappeared in the haze which
hung over the eastern plains. Great
herds Of buffalo sprang into life IN my
brain, and bands Of Cheyennes, Sioux
and Biackfeet pursued them. When the
buffalo were falling and the plains be-
hind me were a map Of ever shifting
light and color and active life, the Utes,
mounted and with bent bows and long,
grooved war arrows drawn to their heads,
dashed past me and battle. savage and
bloody, ragged below. daso.p) asdna..f
sat smoking and wondering why men
ever became lonesome when they could re-
, people the remote solitude of highland and
plain and enjoy scenes of human interest,
when my horse threw up his head And
shifted inquiringy of the air and then
trotted to me, and stood by my side look
ing at the summit Of the pass, which was
g q few yards above us. Presently an Ia
dams head appeared above the crest Of
the range. l sat and looked Mt him and
he looked at me. Soon another and another
D and another dark and savage visaged head
rose above the crest, and then the head
of column of mounted Indians rode into
sight. They were singing their marching
song--much as the Indians In tho Wild
West show do. Every trail was occupied.
The Indians looked neither to the right
nor to the left but marched slowly phst
me. There were old men, and warriors,
and young men, all with their rifles across
their knees, and hundreds Of women,
somsof whom were handsome, and many
children, and an army OF dogs brought
up the rear.
/ thought had conjured to very good
effect. For an hour this column swept
past me. and sat on rock and smoked
and looked at them. Not word was
spoken to me. Hardly glance was cast
Cat me. The migrating people talked to
one another, and laughed, and had a good
time generally. Three thousand Indians
ddefiled in front of me. They were
gay with bright colored shirts, and
gaudy blankets, and many colored
painted faces. knew that these In
dams were portions Of the Nsz Perce.
i, Flathead, Spokane, Olzinagsp, sWenst-
chez, and Peud Oreille tribes, and that
they were going 10 hunt buffalo. On the
Saskatchewan plains and to fight the
Blackfeet. These Indians riding past me
IN the Cadotte pass made one Of the most
impressive Bpectaeles ! ever saSv IN the
heart Of the republic.adi s.aotggs hng
That evening about dark, while I Yves
riding westward on the Blackfoot river
trail, Inet a1bslatedl Indian who was
/, hnrrying after the main body. He made
signs Of inquiry to me, and answered
with dgts. did not fully Understand
1 the sign Language and tho anxious Indian
failed TO interpret, my meaning, 20 Evil
dent1y conveyed information a dlreful
import. n The dusiry waffior started IA
/, his, saddle He, slapped his mouth with
open palm TO express, bis great surprise,
then wheeled his horse ana Ralioped Oh
q before j Ind fniahsd telling my story. I
q, have, often wondered what I really told
that savage and TO what / impelled him..
Frank Wilkeson In New York Times.